Love On the Brain (Corey Crawford)

23| Sleepover

Corey

The team was doing pretty good this far into the season. Nothing all that special besides the fact that Patrick and his buddy Panarin were playing out of their minds. Patrick was the almost the for sure MVP of not only this team but the whole league and Panarin was defiantly rookie of the year if you ask anyone who has played with or against him. He was super fun and I loved being around him even if he spoke almost no English. I can still mess around with him and we have our fun.

After we take care of the Blues in a shut out we all have a good time in the locker room. I get the belt for doing my job well then we do interviews and I was let go. I get out into the hallway and I start to head to my car until I hear someone calling my name. I turn around and I see Jessica standing there looking cute as ever. I swear to you she could do no wrong.

"What are you doing here" I wonder.

"You got me season tickets and some Blackhawks stuff, it would be a waste to not use it all" she smiles.

"Well I'm really happy you're here. Like really happy" I admit as I walk over to her. I pull her into a hug and couldn't stop the smile from forming once I smell her sweet perfume.

"I always love watching you play, especially when you play like that. That was insane" she claims.

"Is someone a hockey fan now" I accuse and she smirks.

"It's hard not to love it" she insists.

"Don't I know it" I laugh. "So what are you doing now" I wonder.

"I don't know, probably just hang out at my place and watch some old reruns of Friends" she shrugs.

"Why don't you come over? I leave tomorrow for the ice road trip and I won't be back until just before Valentine's Day so it'll be the last time we can be around each other for a while" I say. The ice road trip wasn't as long as the circus one so she didn't have to come along this time, but I was still going to miss her. I can see on her face that she wanted to come over but she knew it was probably for the best if she declined. "I have ice cream" I bribe.

"What kind" she asks.

"Cookie dough" I smile and she smiles back.

"Alright, I'll come over. But only for a hour or two" she insists.

She follows me over to my apartment complex and I take her up. Once I let us in I make us two cups of hot chocolate because that's all the girl drinks and I grab the ice cream and two spoons. We sit on the couch and she grabs a blanket off the back of it. She scoots in a little bit closer and I smile as she wraps the blanket around us. She was a very affectionate girl and I have to say I kinda loved it. Since the Friends DVD was already in the DVD player I pull it up and we pick up where I left off. We've both seen all the episodes so it didn't really matter where we started. Once we got comfortable I pick up the ice cream and place it in my lap. I hand Jess a spoon and we dig in.

And for a while that was good enough for us. We could hang out and eat ice cream and laugh as we watch some episodes of Friends. There was no harm no foul. But once the ice cream was put away and the hot cocoa was gone there was really no need for us to be so close, but we still were. She was practically sitting in my lap as she cuddles up into a ball. Her feet were tucked behind her and her knees sat in my lap as she let me softly rub her long legs. Her arm was snaked around me as her head laid on my shoulder. I don't even think she was aware that this is the position we moved to, I certainly didn't for a while. It felt natural and it felt... good.

Eventually I notice that her laughs had stoped and her eyes were closed. I watch as her breathing starts to get slower and slower until it was steady. Her perfect pink lips were shut as her chest rises and falls. I softly run my fingers through her soft hair and she smiles as I continue to do it.

"Hey Jess" I say softly but she doesn't answer me. I know this wasn't the plan but I'm not mad about it either.

I turn the tv off and pick up the area a little so I could lay down. I do so and pull Jess on top of me so she was more comfortable. She stirs for a little but she never wakes from her slumber. I wrap the blanket around us so we would stay warm in my high up apartment. Her head rests between my head and shoulder as her hand rests on my chest. I move the hair out of her face and subsequently mine before taking a good look at her.

I wished more than anything to be together with her. But I don't want to put her in a bad situation and I don't want to make the organization feel like I abused what was given to me. I'm sure most guys who get to know her love her, that's why I was so surprised when she said she's only loved one person before. Just looking at her would be enough to bring a man to his knees, then when you get to know her, well she's something else entirely. I was lucky, I got to fall in love with the girl that any guy would want. I mean there are a lot of things about us that are so different yet that's what makes us so good for each other too. She can teach me things and I can teach her. Our relationship was so complicated I don't even think she understands it. But we both know that this... whatever this is... it's special and we should be thankful for it.

Eventually I fall asleep too until I wake up the next morning. I smile to myself when I see Jess still laying there. I know she said she doesn't sleep all that much but she sure seemed to be out. And after I admire her for a while I decide I should probably wake her up so I don't miss the team plane.

"Hey Jessie" I say softly as I start to run my fingers through her hair. She starts to stir before she finally opens her eyes. She looks around trying to figure out what happened before her eyes finally land on me. Her cheeks turn red as she realized what was going on.

"Please don't tell me I fell asleep on you" she begs.

"You did" I tell her and she groans.

"Oh Corey, I am so sorry" she says as she buries her face in my chest so I couldn't see how embarrassed she was.

"What are you apologizing for" I ask as I grab her chin and lift her head so she had to look at me.

"Because I fell asleep on you" she claims.

"And I quite enjoyed it. I didn't feel so lonely" I admit.

"Still, I feel bad. You wanted to spend time with me before you left and I fell asleep" she says.

"I had a great time" I smirk and she shakes her head. I start to rub her back softly and she finally loosenes up a little.

"Why don't we go to the diner and get some breakfast before I have to go" I suggest.

"That would be great" she admits.

"But can we stay here a little longer? I like this" I admit as I place a piece of her hair back to where it belonged.

"I wouldn't mind" she smiles.